A guide body may have the function of an internal fixator for osteosynthesis and may be used in the proximal part of the humerus or in other regions of long bones situated close to a joint.
A fan-like, corrugated guiding device designed to guide Kirschner wires is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,467 BENOIST. This arrangement suffers from the disadvantages that the fixation elements (Kirschner wires) can only be passed through the guide parallel to each other. In addition, there is no possibility of using sutures to attach the pieces or parts of fractured bone which cannot be reached by Kirschner wires. Due to its corrugated structure, the guiding device does not rest directly on the bone, which superfluously makes it necessary to use wires of greater length.
The invention relates to a guide body designed to receive longitudinal fixation elements to be anchored within bone which makes it possible to insert fixation elements at various intersecting angles. The guide body primarily prevents the wires extending into the intramedullary region or the spongiosa from being displaced either in the proximal or in the distal direction.
Advantageously, the invention permits the use of a minimally invasive surgical technique so that the implant material to be inserted is reduced to a minimum. Due to the possibility of arranging the fixation elements in three dimensions, the guide body according to the invention is particularly suitable for osteosynthesis in cases of osteoporotic bone or bone effected by a disease. The stability of the osteosynthesis device is primarily achieved by the pegs or wires and their crosswise positioning within the bone. Due to the direct contact of the guide body with the bone, the parts of the wires to be inserted which are not in contact with the bone are reduced to a minimum. This makes it possible for the patient to put weight on the fracture site earlier, to use the injured limbs earlier and, ideally, to benefit from an accelerated healing process.